Railway-track gage



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. M.FERGUSON.

RAILWAY TRACK GAGE. LEVEL, AND-GRADIENT. No. 329,895. Patented Nov. 10, 1885.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. C. M. FERGUSON.

RAILWAY TRACK GAGE. LEVEL, AND GRADIENT. No. 329,895. Patented Nov. 10, 1885.

' Saw 9mm.

N, PETERS. Phow-Litmguh'r. WaNngtom 0,0.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M. FERGUSON, OF CHARLES CITY, IOWA.

RAI LWA Y-TRACK GAGE,

LEVEL, AND GRADIENT.

SPECIEICATIOH forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,895, dated November 1O 1885. Application filed September 8, 1884. Serial No. 142,508. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, CHARLES M. FERGU- SON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Charles City, in the county of Floyd and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in the Railway -1rack Gage, Level, and Gradient, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention is a railway-track gage, level, and gradient combining and embracing the following novel features: two square bars horizontally pivoted together at one end and having each a spirit'level tube fitted into the middle of its top plane; also, underneath the ends of said bars, counter gage-plates, one of the pair easily swinging by its cheek-lugs to the same pin which pivots the bars, and the other rigidly fastened to the swinging end of one of the bars, said plates being furnished each with a pair of vertical rollers or gages and a pair of horizontal rollers or travelers; also, suitably attached underneath said rigid gage-plate, an intermediary curve-gage consisting of a sliding bar having regulative indents made in its outer surface, and a horizontally lano-convex flange-face upon one end thereof, and furnished with an attaching hanger-yoke and a setscrew; also, fixed upon the swinging end of the same bar which holds the rigid gage-plate, a verticallyerected measuring-standard consisting of a pair of ruled cheek-plates evenly united top and bottom, so as to fitly embrace the handled end of the other leveling or index bar, having their edges shaped into dual arcs concentric at said pivot-pin with said swinging bars, and also having the front edge of one check out in notches graduated to conveniently-marked degrees, while the other check has a concentrically-arched slot suitably cut through it, and also graduated to and conveniently marked in inches; also, the end of the handled bar which is embraced by said standard provided on one side with a spring-catch1atching into said degree-notches, and on the other side with a slide or hearing plate and a setscrew, the shank of the latter sliding and screwing within said arched slot and into said slide-plate; also, an additional or gradient bar made attachable to the pivoted gageplate on either side of said leveling-bars, and advancing or following at an exact rectangle to their side planes; also, said gradient bar furnished with a centrally-fixed spirit-level tube and a roller-plate, the latter provided with dual pairs of horizontal and vertical rollers similar to those of the gage-bar, and, finally, said gradient bar also furnished with a vertical slot, suitably cut through the outer end thereof, in which to fittingly adjust a graduated tenon-standard, the foot of which is suitably fixed to the center of said rollerplate, and its shaft adj ustably secured within said bar-slot by a suitable jam and set screw, all of which and their purposes are hereinafter more fully described, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which like letters designate identical parts of my invention in the different figures respectively.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device, showing the handled or index bar on level, and the other or gage bar depressed to the five-degree declination, as marked on the scale-standard, the notch for that degreejbeing latched at a point on a level with the concentric pivot-pin of the two bars; also showing the position of the pair of counter-placed spiritlevel tubes, one being shown in longitudinal section and the other by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of the index-bar, showing the spring-latch engaging within one of the degree-notches of the graduated standard. Fig. 3 is a side view of the end portions of the gage-bar, showing a section of the measuringstandard and the counter gage-plates, the latter supplied with said counter facing gagerollers, travelers, and said adjustable curvegage. Fig. 4 is another side view of a portion of the gage-bar, showing the obverse side of of the same, together with the inner side of the notched cheek of the standard in section. Fig. 5 isa view of the obverse side of the index-bar, showing its bearing-plate and set-screw clinching the edges of arched slot of the standard marked with inches and their proportional parts. Fig. 6 is an under view of the rigid gage-plate, showing the relative positions of the said travelers, the gagerollers, and the intermediary curve-gage, together with the vibrating end of the springing notch-latch. Fig. 7 is also an under view of the pivoted gageplate, showing its travelers and gage-rollers.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of said track-gradient, showing its attachment to a gage-plate on one side of the pivoted ends of the levelingbars, and said vertically-adjustable standard supplied with its roller-plate and inch-scale, the top level of the line of rail-track being shown by the dotted line m. Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of said gradient, showing the normally-relative positions of the standard end of cling-bars, called the gage-bar, and B the cise middle point between the said pivot-pin shown.

one called the indexbar. Both bars are made, preferably, of suitable wood, cut square and with smooth and even faces, of such length as to suitably extend over the standard broad gage of railway-tracks, and are horizontally pivoted together by a suitable pin, 10, so that they may be worked at any vertical angle each to the others top plane. Each bar is furnished with a boxed spirit-level tube, a, let into its top plane, the centers of which are exactly in a line across the bars with the preand the swinging end of the gage-bar, for mutually leveling purposes herein described and Underneath said gagebar are placed the pair of gage-plates O and O, the former of which is rigidly and suitably fixed in place underneath the swinging end of the bar, and the latter plate is hung, as shown, by the cheek: lugs to the bar-pivoting pin 10, in order to allow the plate to mutually oscillate with the riseand depression of the other end of the bar.

Each gage-plate has secured underneath it, as shown, a double pair of interchanfiable spindle-rollers, 1" and r, the former of \ich are attached by suitable angle-lugs in a vertical position, each pair,respectively, facing or bearing outwardly toward the bar ends and adjusted about six inches apart, one roller from the other in a right line exactly across the plate, while the rollers r are suitably secured upon their spindles within the dual.

slots s, cut through each plate, as shown, in a horizontal position lengthwise the plate. Each plate is also adjusted,together with the length of the gage-bar,-so as to bring the outwardly facing or bearing surfaces of its pair of vertical rollers to the fitting distance of either fiftysix and a half inches or thirty-six inches from the similar pair of rollers under the other plate, these distances being the-respective'standards between the opposite rails of a bread or a narrow gage railway-track, so that when the horizontal rollers 1", being situated just outsideof thevertical rollers r are placed upon the opposite rails of the track under construction or repair, they serve as wheels upon which to smoothly trundle the bars A and Balong the tops of said pair of rails, while the vertical rollers r are simultaneously and automatically setting the gage of said track by pressing against or being pressed by the opposing rail-flanges; hence the horizontal rollers are termed travelers and the vertical rollers gagers, respectively and relatively. Again, said counter-facing rollers 7 being placed at said respective distances apart singly each from the other in said trans- Versal line of each plate and in pairs upon the two plates, and, besides, each pair of the same being at a right angle to the parallel lines of direction of the two bars A and B, said bars will always be in a line perpendicular to the line of the track or coradial to its curves while being trundled upon their travelers? over the unset rails.

The intermediary gage, G, is also attached underneath the plate 0, to act as a curvespreading gage, and consists of a suitablysized metallic bar, b, to fittingly slide between the gage-plate and the correspondingly-bent plied with a vertical and plano-convex flange,

f, upon its front or outer'end, and normally set against the outer or front edge of the hanger h, when the median line of its front or horizontally-convex face will be exactly in range or even with the vertical fronts of the pair of adjacent gaging-rollers, as shown in Fig. 6,

so that when it is desired to spread the-trackcurve the sliding bar I) is set at the required distance beyond the line-front of said gaging-rollers, and while the dual pairs of gaging-rollers are regulating the track-gage the said intermediary gage is similarly regulating the proper spread of the track-curve by pushing the rails beyond the regulative line-frontof said gaging-rollers.

The measuring-standard H consists of a suitably-sized strip of sheet metal embowed at the middle into a pair of check-plates and firmly fixed in a vertical position upon the swinging end of the bar A, so as to fittingly embrace the similarly-swinging bar B. The

front and rear edges of said cheeksare formed into concentric curves or arcs centering at the pivot-pin p, and the frontedge of one of said arcs is graduated by the notches a, cut and marked in regular angular degrees, while the corresponding arcs of the counter-cheek are graduated and conveniently-markedin inches, as shown. r

In order to setthe indexbar B in its re quired angular relations with the coregulating: bar A by the standard H, either in degree or any proportional of inches, there is provided on one side of said index-bar a suitable latch,-

Z, vibrating within its furnished reoessand said levelingbars, as shown.

springing its horizontally-proj ecting catch into any of the degree-notches desired, (the spring being regulated by the projecting curled end of the same,) and on the opposite side of said bar a set-screw, m, having its shank vertically sliding within the concentrically-cut arc slot t, and its point screwing into the bearing-plate 2, thereby to jam the cheek between said screwhead and plate at any desired angle of inches indicated by the horizontal median line or pointer marked on said bearing plate, as shown, becoming coincident with the desired inch-mark upon the cheek-plate.

In order to supply a co-operative provision for showing the angle of rise or depression, respectively, of either the up or down grade of a rail-track in course of construction or repair, in addition to the herein-described elements for gaging, leveling, and curve-spreading said track,the following supplemental gradient device is furnished: This consists of an additional and prove'ct bar, D, of similar material to the other bars and of suitable size and length. Said bar is furnished with a spirit-level tube, a, similar in character and situation to those in the otherbars, and at one end I with a head-strap, a, through which is horizontally pierced a screw-hole for the entrance of the interchangeable pivot-screwp, by which the bar is made securely attachable to either of the vertical standing lugs q, suitably fixed upon the gage-plate 0, one on each side of Said bar.D is also provided upon its outer end with a counter head-strap, a, which has the sight-slot 8 cut horizontally through one of its cheeks into an intercrossing mortise-slot, s, vertically made through the bar between the cheeks, and also has a screwhole horizontally pierced through the cheekcounter to said sightslot for the entrance of the set-screw x, all as shown in Figs; 9 and 10 of the drawings. The sight-slot 8 serves as a means to conveniently observe and regulate the inch-scale marked into the side or sides of the graduated standard I, vertically sliding and held by said adjusting set-screw as within said fittinglymortised slot s, and thereby to set the bar D at the indicative angle by which the up or down grade of track is to be made or deter-- mined.

The standard I is made of suitable material, size, and length, and with even and smooth sides, so as to be properly and conveniently marked with an inch-scale, as shown, and to snugly fit and slide within the vertical mortise-slot 8" while being adjusted and before being firmly held in place by the jamming set screw m. It is also firmly secured in its vertical position, to be readily adjusted, as de scribed, by suitable counter-bracing footflanges or angleirons, as shown, upon the roller-plate O, which is substantially similar in material, form, and dimensions to the gageplates 0 and O, and, alike to them, is furnished with similar vertical rollers, r, and horizontal rollers 7', although somewhat differently adjusted in and on said plate, in order to suit the appropriate operation of the pivoted gradient bar D, namely: The travelers 1" are placed to the front and rear of said fiootflanges, exactly transverse to the end of the bar, and carry it, when trundled in advance or in rear of the plate 0, smoothly along the top flange of the usual constructive track-rail, R, while the rollers 1", being placed vertically underneath said plate, each suitably sidewise to said bar, fitly clasp said railflange between them, as shown in Fig. 10.

Having described the essential features of my invention, their use and operation is as follows: To gage and level a continuously-straight line of track, the top planes of the two bars A and B are made coincident and put with their travelers 1' upon that portion of the track already adjusted and set. Then,when said bars are trundled over and upon the unset rails, their gage or width apart will be automatically regulated, as heretofore described, and the correct level simultaneously indicated by the coincidence of the counter spirit-levels a. The index-bar B is then raised to any required angle of a scale-inch-say one-quarterin order toindicate to the follower tracksman whatihe required thickness of the shim shall be, which, being ftied, completes this portion of the track adjustment.

To curve the track, the spreading-gage G is set, as heretofore stated, to the required dis tance of spread between the constructive curve-rails, and the index-bar B raised from its coincident level with the gage-bar A to the degree-angle of elevation of the outside curverail, when, the pivot end of said gage-bar re maining or being placed upon that side which .is to be the higher track-curve, the travelers r are trundled upon the curve-rails. Said rails are then worked until the index-bar comes to a level, as indicated by its spirit-tube a, when the spread of the curve and its angle ofdip will have been simultaneously regulated, and it only remains for the thickness of the shims to be determined, as before stated, to complete the second operation.

To determine and regulate the grade either level, down, or upofthe constructive track: For the first, attach the gradient bar D upon the advancing side of the gage-plate O, as heretofore stated, and having put the standard end of the bar by its travelers rwhich, together with all said spindle-rollers, are interchangeable, upon the top of the evenlyabutting end of one of the constructive rails R next adjacent to the already set track-rails, which will also include the top flange of said rail between the clasping-rollers rof the rollerplate 0, see that said end of the baris jammed and set by the set-screw or upon the tops of the bracingflanges of the standards I, which should bring the naughtmark of the inchscale,sighted through the slot 8, to be coincident with the horizontal level mark or pointer made, as shown, into the margin of said slot,

and when the bar D shall have been trundled upon the farther end of said rail R, and the raise the outer end of the bar D until the desired angle of inclination is reached, as heretofore stated, upon the inch-scale I, and, when said roller-plate shall have been trundled upon the lower end of the constructive rail B,

p and the rail worked until the gradient bar is counter-standing lug q upon the opposite side of the bars A and B, so as to follow them in; stead of being, as heretofore, trundled in advance.

It will be readily observed, especially by those skilled in the art, that the above-described invention affords a Very speedy, certain,as well as convenient,combination of cooperative elements for producing the intended results, the gradient device being, for instance, an especially effective adjunct of the other, either following or advancing co-operative devices; for, let the gradient bar be made as described, with a length, say, of twenty-two feet between the pivot and the median line of its inch-scale, then upon setting said bar to one inch of incline by said scale in the aforesaid grading operations a certain grade of twenty feet to the mile, or one in two hundred and sixty-four, is determined almost simultaneouslywith the co-operations of gaging and levelingthe same constructive track. Again, in order to avoid any possible inconvenience which might arise upon reaching a reverse curve to be constructed or repaired which might require the transfer or reversal to the opposite side of the track of the respective ends of the leveling-bars and their gaging-plates, an additional are standard, similar to that herein designated as H, and another similarindex-bar, may be attached and pivoted in reverse order to the gage-bar A in any suitable way without essentially changing or limiting the characteristic features of my invention as herein described, and in a similarly supplemental way the standing lugs 1 might be made to swivel, so as to allow said gradient to accommodatingly work, as above described, on an up or down curve grade. Therefore What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In the engineering apparatus herein described, the combination of the gage-bar, the index-bar, and the gradient bar, respectively furnished with the spirit-levels, the hinging pivots, the scale-standards, and the carrierplates, the last respectively provided with the spindle-rollers, the curve-gage, and the alternative lugs, all made and adjusted substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

2. The combination of the gage-bar having spirit-level, scale-standard, and carrier-plates, the last respectively provided with hinging pivot, spindle-rollers, and curve-gage, with the index bar having counter spirit-level,- springlatch, and set-screw, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

3. The combination, with the gage-bar, of

the spirit-level, the notched and are slotted scale-standard, and the carrier-plates respectively provided with the spindle-rollers, curvegage, and hinging pivot, substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

4. The combination, with the indexbar, of the counter spirit-level, the spring-latch, the

set-screw, the pointer-marked bearing-plate,

respective gage, index, and gradient bars,sub-;

stantially as and for the purposes herein specified. 7. The combination of theintermedial curvegage having its sliding bar provided with the bearingfiange, the hanger, the set-screw, and the regulative indents with the spindle-rollers of the carrier-plates of the gage and index bars, substantially. as and for the purposes herein specified.

8. The interchangeable spindle-rollers, severally counter-adjusted on and in the respective carrier-plates of the regulative gage,index,

and gradient bars, substantially as and for v the purposes herein specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

o. M. FERGUSON.

Witnesses:

P. R. GUIRvIrs; C. D. ELLIs. 

